Vancouver - places to stay.

lost_for_words

Can anyone reccommend somewhere to stay in Vancouver for roughly 2 weeks. There are four of us going over in December to spend a year in Canada and we need somewhere as a base while we look for an apartment.
I've read mixed reviews on the Samesun and Hostelling International hostels, does anyone have any experience of these?
Ideally we'd find some kind of self catering place but I'm not having much luck on the web in finding anything like this.
Any reccommendations are appreciated.

DeadParrot

HI granville street is pretty good. Lived there meself for a few weeks
Free brekkie in the morning, nice rooms and good overall vibe. They organize all sorts of ****e to do
December, you can be sure they'll be going to whistler, whcih should mean a cheap way to go skiiing.

Samesun is across the road, nice spot, rooms from what I remember arent as nice. But it does have a pub downstairs!

Are you going to be based in Vancouver?

lost_for_words

Yeah the plan is to stay there for the year but get some travelling in too.
Not too sure if sleeping on top of a pub would be the best idea...in that there would be no sleeping.
Do you know is it difficult to find places to live over there, that are furnished and can accomodate 4 people?

mrsmagoo

Hi,

I was interested in your post as I was about to post a similar one. I am going over to Canada on my own for a year come December also. I was wondering if you'd like to swap any info that you might have gained?

I know you're travelling with a group but there is a good site for every type of activity and for meeting people across Vancouver
http://www.meetup.com/cities/ca/BC/Vancouver/?a=cn1_cn3

I have yet to arrange accomodation but the information above will prove handy. If you have any information you'd like to share I'd really welcome it.

Thanks!

DeadParrot

Accomadation in Vancouver is fairly easy to get. But you will definatly pay more for furnished accom.
Anywhere around Davie St (its the big gay area!!) is a nice safe party area and dont worry meself and the missus had a ball in that part of town.
In all the hostels you will see loads of ads for houses, I dont know about December but in Feb it was no problem.
Ricard street (one street over from Granville) has a house that houses backpackers all the time, fully furnished and a grand spot. Its beside a bar/club called I think Richards on Richards. The woman who owns it used to be a backpacker and is always taking lodgers.

If there are 4 of you, no matter where u go, be prepared to share rooms as a 4 bedroomed apartment will be pricey!

lost_for_words

Have decided on the IH Downtown, the one usit put you in for the first night doesn't appear to be very appealing, so we'll stay there for when we arrive and head off the following day.

Mrsmagoo : when are you flying out? If you're a bit nervous of travelling alone we could meet up when out there or something. That webpage seems pretty good too, an easy way to find people that you know already have something in common with you. We're hoping to find somewhere to live in the Kitsilano area, but like deadparrot says its tough going finding things that are furnished and have 4 rooms, looks like we'll be sharing.

PM me if you are looking for info that you cant find and i'll let you know what i have.

DeadParrot

Kits is a bit far out of downtown tbh.....

Superman

vancouver is a brilliant city and you'll love it, the hostel near the beach was brilliant, great views, people etc. You can also rent bikes there for dead cheap and suggest you fly along the coast, you see so much and its an easy enough enjoyable day's cycling.
Also go to the harbour place viewpoint thing, because your ticket lasts the day so you can see the place in the day and all lit up at night! its great.
was the best summer I ever had and suggest you do as much as you can.
Also if you want a peaceful buzz check out the parks, think it was queen elizabeth one had frisbee golf!
http://vancouver.craigslist.org/ is great for houses too, although you got to apply as soon as an advert comes up! Kits ain't that far out, ya won't be on bus for more than 20 min and its a really nice spot. its a bit like the way ranelagh and town are, if ya get me.

a few points of advise:
1 - Sign up for a safeway card, saves you a fortune on food, and watch out where ya shop cause stores in bling area's can be a bit more pricey than others.
2 - Get a 3 zone monthly buzz card, costs about €80 but well worth it. (free nitelink !!)
3 - visit Victoria on vancouver Island!, wouldn't bother with Nanaimo, a bit depressing.
4 - Don't get the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, WA. Its a ridiculously utilitarian us small town, where the only internet is in the UPS shop and a major attraction is the paper factory!

mrsmagoo, I did it on my own for 3 months last summer and was a brilliant experience, you just gotta talk to people and get a bit active, also if your reall really stuck for a job you can do cold calling on the phone, Xentel DM, 200 688 W Hastings St., hire you no matter what and you'll atleast get over $100 for doing training and a few hours. Also if you are good at it and flexible with time it can be handy! was also a great spot to meet loadsa other people!

ahh, all this vancouver buzz is making me nostalgic Have a good one!

DeadParrot

some good advice....forgot about the oul safeway card!
The price of certain things is just so strange, costsaver kept cheese under lock & key after 9pm

Stanley park is just amazing.

For work there is a Youth Center at the end of granvill st just before the bridge. ANYONE can get a call center job there if you are stuck.

If you want to do the bar/cafe thing, you need to get a safe-serve card. Most youth agencies can arrange this for free otherwise its around $70

lost_for_words

Thanks for all the advice (*starts taking notes)
Really can't wait to go now! What is this safeway card? is like a tesco clubcard or something.

Superman

yeah its a tesco card thing, but ya get discounts on the spot with it.
also if your going for a proper job it seems to be the routine to call a few days after sending CV just to say did they get it.

mrsmagoo

Thanks for all the tips and support!
I'm really looking forward to it now. I think other people are more nervous for me than I am! It's just the first few days that might be a bit challenging but I expect things to improve rapidly from there.

Any more words of wisdom are greatly appreciated!

Charlie

Hey, I am just in Vancouver myself and about to head home after an amazing summer spent here. I would have to agree with Supermans tips but if you are in your early 20's or look young, you can get away with a child's bus pass which is only $40 for the month.

I haven't seen anyone mention it yet but seriously DONT WANDER EAST when you are downtown. The further east you go the rougher it gets until eventually you are at Hastings and Main, considered one of the poorest and worse intersections in North America.

You will find that you will get hasseled a lot by bums for change when you are downtown but they are pretty friendly so even if you say no they will still smile and say thanks.

Myself and my friends managed to get a house on UBC and I would seriously recommend trying to get accomadtion in the surrounding Point Grey/ Kitsilano area. The area is lovely and there are so many shops and places to eat. Also, its a handy loctaion, just beside a number of beaches and only 30 mins on the bus to downtown. Also, you will find that the transport system is very reliable.

Aswel as the other areas that were recommended I would also suggest the Squamish/Whistler/Pemberton region. Lovely little towns especially Squamish and Pemberton, it feels like you're on the set of a western film, plus the views are amazing.

If you have any questions just let me know.

DeadParrot

Jaysus, hastings...had forgetton about that place
Yeah, stay away from there, its quite near gastown, whcih you'll probably go to once or twice, just for the irish bar.

Actually there is an ace hostel aroudn that area, near the marijuana party hq.
Also a decent rock bar that does $1 beers on a monday

And, that irish bar, not the shamrock the one across the road....

Charlie

Yeah Hastings is a pretty funky place, I got sent down there on a labour job only to be told on my arrival that I would be cleaning out an old crack house of syringes and the like. I just pulled a legger. In fairness, the area isn't that dangerous, its so sad and depressing and, shocking at first to see syringes everywhere and so many people shooting up in broad daylight on a busy street. Its the side streets that think are more dangerous, such as East Cordova, as there isnt much traffic there. You kinda feel like if someone were to do something to you, there would be no one around to intervene on your behalf.

The bars I would recommend are:

Lola's (of Kitsilano) on Monday

The Royal on Granville on a Tuesday

Caprice on Granville on a Wednesday

The Buffalo on Granville on a Sunday.

The reason that I say go on certain days is because that is when the good booze offers are on, and with that means it attracts a good crowd. Going out on a Friday or Saturday night just became a no no because of how expensive nightlife can be.

I also noticed that Dead Parrot, that certain things were really expensive, mainly any produce of an animal. Maybe prices for meat+cheese etc are artificially low in Ireland becasue of the EU. But a safeway card is definitley a must, it will usually wipe 25-30% off the cost of your bill.

ToxicPaddy

Yeah wandered into Hastings when in Vancouver a few years back, was staying in the Hostel in Gastown and bloody hell was that an eye opener.. Drunks and bums lying all over the place, guys stoned and high on drugs just wandering around the place.. needless to say I didnt hang around.

That hostel isnt too bad by the way, its basic, free breakfast and a cool bar downstairs thats always packed and lively.. Its basic and from what I've been told is one of the best places to stay if ya dont mind roughing it for a few nights. Cheap enough too.

http://www.cambiehostels.com/

Vancouver is a class spot, Stanley part is crazy, all these animals just wandering around the place without a bother in the world.. very strange to see squirrels and ducks just walking around between people and not a bother on them.. very cool.. squirrels are cheeky little buggers, leave anything in the way of food down and they will swipe it on you in a heartbeat..

Tox